Games are a great way to unwind for most people. Thanks to technology, the gaming industry has drastically changed its approach in both value delivery and standards.
Video games are now more than ever so realistic that they some times feel more real than what they simulate.
We thing we know for sure is that game development has certainly taken a disruptive and innovative turn.
So you may be wondering why an audiophile like me is going about gaming… Well I’m going to answer a question relating to audio that I found in my emails recently.
With that said, here’s the question:
Is mono output good for gaming?
For stereoscopic 3D games like Call of Duty, that simulate real life both visually and aurally, mono output audio is not good because it isn’t able to simulate how we perceive real life sounds in a natural 3D or 3 Dimensional way. For 2D games whose game-play doesn’t involve real life simulation, you could get away with using mono audio output without ruining the full experience.
2D Games
2D games have been around for decades. During the growth stages of computer technology they got introduced to the world.
They are still around today.
However, today’s world of video games is more popular for having games that are so realistic.
2D games aurally, produce monaural sound or mono sound so there’s really no need to have a stereo output system for them.
You may catch the occasional panning effect in some of these games but they’re not a huge enough factor for one to go out there and start looking for a stereo sound system.
Sound design
The sound design from back then compared to now is nothing.
Sound engineers have taken on new challenges to create the best audio experience possible.
This is quite evident in movie theaters where surround sound systems are used.
People in the theater can watch a movie and almost be a part of it due to the realistic nature of the experience both aurally and visually.
That concept of creating a 3D sound stage has also been adopted by video game developers.
These developers work with talented sound designers that pay key attention to how we perceive sound in a natural live enviroment.
They then, use this information in creating sound in a 3D videogames.
This sound is best enjoyed on stereo output systems.
Simulation
Video games like I mentioned are now very realistic.
We can see that technology is now able to mimic and simulate reality to an almost perfection.
This has greatly improved the way gamers play their games.
Simulation is not only done visually but also aurally.
Most games for example, 3D first person shooter games create a simulation for a live and real environment.
User experience
At the end of the day, video game developers know that the developer that can provide the best user experience wins the hearts of gamers and essentially makes more money.
Which is why the user experience you get from video games today, is some of the best.
Sound plays a huge role in this as I’ve already stated.
Therefore we can conclude that video and audio in gaming develops as a pair.
Which is why we rely more on a stereo output meant to give us a more generally natural experience of audio rather than settling for mono Which only gives us a centred perception of audio.
Gaming headphones
To get the best gaming experience possible, you need to get gear that is suited to this task.
Since we are discussing audio in this post.
I’ll discuss gaming headphones because they’re commonly used by gamers.
Gaming headphones are optimized for user experience and do their best to create a natural audio experience while playing video games.
These headphones usually have emphasized low and mid range frequencies to make the gaming experience more enjoyable.
If you’re therefore looking to get the best experience out of gaming, use gaming headphones or good stereo sound system.
Disadvantages of mono output for 3D video games
Lets get into some of the disadvantages of mono output for video games.
Ruins the experience
Trying to use a mono output system for stereo signals is a complete waste because you’ll lose the nuance that can only be experienced on a stereo system.
Mono output for video games that simulate real life both visually and aurally therefore ruins the overall video game experience.
Could make the game harder to play
Games can sometimes be harder to play when all you have are Mono speakers or headphones.
For example, playing a first person should game requires you to not only pay attention to the visual but the audio as well.
Which means you need stereo headphones that can help you enjoy the game better.
